So, am *I* a Lap Band success?
There are days when I question my success, because I still find myself struggling daily with food/emotional issues. When I had to have my band unfilled, I ate like the same old horse that I used to be. Does that make my band or my band life any less successful? No. I makes my MENTAL success not so hot, because I am still struggling with the same issues I have prior to my surgery, and will still struggle with for the rest of my life.
An alcoholic does not stop suffering from the same emotional issues when he stops drinking, and I am still trying to use food to deal with my problems rather than confront them head-on. And let's not forget that a LOT of issues just don't go away with confronting them. Confronting the fact that I've been out of work for 2+ years will not make someone hire me faster. If I could get myself off my butt and drag it to the gym 3 times a week like I did when I was first out, I'd probably lose that extra 10-20 I want gone.
It so angers me when I read that someone is pissed because the band did not become a magic wand to make all their food and emotional issues go away. WTF?? Newsflash, everyone: even if the band worked for everyone 100 percent of the time: IT'S STILL WORK. YOU have to pay attention to what you're eating and why you're eating it. If you eat a BUTTLOAD of something in one sitting, the band will make you puke it back up. And that is ALL it will do. That is all MOST surgeries will do. YOU have to do the rest. Sorry if that bursts anyone's little weight loss surgery bubble, but that's life.
All that being said, do I consider myself a success? Hell, yes. I considered myself a success when I lost ten pounds. A measly TEN POUND loss was my first goal. And then another ten. Then 25, then 50, then a hundred. To be under 300 pounds, to be under 200 pounds. I did them all, regardless of the struggles.
There are days when my band and I do not get along, and I will confess that those days are brought about by ME fighting the band's limitations, not the other way around. The band says, "Don't eat that", and I do. Who's to blame? Does that mean I hate my band. No again. There are days when my husband and I disagree, but it doesn't mean I love him any less. In the same way, I still love my band. Hell, I may send it a Valentine next month.
I'm off all the meds I was on prior to surgery and all my comoribidites, except for osteoarthritis in my knees, which can't be cured - are gone. ALL of them.
I've still managed - SEVEN PLUS YEARS OUT - to maintain a loss greater than a lot of RNY, VSG and DS folks. Does that make THEIR surgery not a success? Nope. Does it mean that the band is right for everyone? Nope. The one surgery that is right for you is the one that works for you.
Blessedly, the band was the right choice for me. There isn't a doubt in my mind or, as I like to refer to it, in my "saggy white ass" that I made the right decision.
An alcoholic does not stop suffering from the same emotional issues when he stops drinking, and I am still trying to use food to deal with my problems rather than confront them head-on. And let's not forget that a LOT of issues just don't go away with confronting them. Confronting the fact that I've been out of work for 2+ years will not make someone hire me faster. If I could get myself off my butt and drag it to the gym 3 times a week like I did when I was first out, I'd probably lose that extra 10-20 I want gone.
It so angers me when I read that someone is pissed because the band did not become a magic wand to make all their food and emotional issues go away. WTF?? Newsflash, everyone: even if the band worked for everyone 100 percent of the time: IT'S STILL WORK. YOU have to pay attention to what you're eating and why you're eating it. If you eat a BUTTLOAD of something in one sitting, the band will make you puke it back up. And that is ALL it will do. That is all MOST surgeries will do. YOU have to do the rest. Sorry if that bursts anyone's little weight loss surgery bubble, but that's life.
All that being said, do I consider myself a success? Hell, yes. I considered myself a success when I lost ten pounds. A measly TEN POUND loss was my first goal. And then another ten. Then 25, then 50, then a hundred. To be under 300 pounds, to be under 200 pounds. I did them all, regardless of the struggles.
There are days when my band and I do not get along, and I will confess that those days are brought about by ME fighting the band's limitations, not the other way around. The band says, "Don't eat that", and I do. Who's to blame? Does that mean I hate my band. No again. There are days when my husband and I disagree, but it doesn't mean I love him any less. In the same way, I still love my band. Hell, I may send it a Valentine next month.
I'm off all the meds I was on prior to surgery and all my comoribidites, except for osteoarthritis in my knees, which can't be cured - are gone. ALL of them.
I've still managed - SEVEN PLUS YEARS OUT - to maintain a loss greater than a lot of RNY, VSG and DS folks. Does that make THEIR surgery not a success? Nope. Does it mean that the band is right for everyone? Nope. The one surgery that is right for you is the one that works for you.
Blessedly, the band was the right choice for me. There isn't a doubt in my mind or, as I like to refer to it, in my "saggy white ass" that I made the right decision.
Banded 10 years & maintaining my weight loss!! Any questions, message me.
And let me add, in the interest of full disclosure, that I have had my original band replaced. In 2006, I developed a whopping big hiatal hernia (brought about by very rapid weight loss) that I refused to deal with, since I was afraid of losing my band. By 2008, I was vomiting 10 to 12 times a day, had GAINED weight in spite of that, and developed a slip.
The slip was not fixed by total unfill, and it and the hernia had to be fixed surgically. My surgeon asked me if, since he would be in there anyway, I wanted to replace the old band with the newer 2008 version, at no cost. I ask you: if you've got a 2006 Toyota and someone offers you a shiny new 2011 one for free, do you turn them down? Even if the '06 works fine, you're going to take the new one. And anyone who says otherwise is fulla ****
So yes, I have had my band replaced, but not because there was ANYTHING wrong with the old one. It worked just fine, thank you.
The slip was not fixed by total unfill, and it and the hernia had to be fixed surgically. My surgeon asked me if, since he would be in there anyway, I wanted to replace the old band with the newer 2008 version, at no cost. I ask you: if you've got a 2006 Toyota and someone offers you a shiny new 2011 one for free, do you turn them down? Even if the '06 works fine, you're going to take the new one. And anyone who says otherwise is fulla ****
So yes, I have had my band replaced, but not because there was ANYTHING wrong with the old one. It worked just fine, thank you.
Banded 10 years & maintaining my weight loss!! Any questions, message me.
I still struggle, too. My weight is up from a Thanksgiving cruise, and from baking my way through Christmas (again). So, I'm trying again to hunker down and work my band. But, I know for a fact that the damage would have been worse without the band! Even when I eat the wrong things, I still eat less of them than I used to.
Although I can still fall off the bandwagon, I really feel that my mindset has changed, too. I *never* was able to maintain a weight loss pre-band. As soon as i gained the first 10 pounds, I'd be telling myself, "Well, here we go again...no use in even trying any longer." And, of course, that's when the weight started really piling back on. Now I have confidence that a small rebound can and will come back off as long as I use my band the way it's designed.
Thanks for sharing your continued success with the band, Bette, you not only are a huge inspiration, you also make me laugh!
Tami
Although I can still fall off the bandwagon, I really feel that my mindset has changed, too. I *never* was able to maintain a weight loss pre-band. As soon as i gained the first 10 pounds, I'd be telling myself, "Well, here we go again...no use in even trying any longer." And, of course, that's when the weight started really piling back on. Now I have confidence that a small rebound can and will come back off as long as I use my band the way it's designed.
Thanks for sharing your continued success with the band, Bette, you not only are a huge inspiration, you also make me laugh!
Tami
Bette, apart from being 2 years behind you - this posts says exactly the same things I woudl want to say!
Kate
Highest 290, Banded - 248 Lowest 139 (too thin!). Comfort zone 155-165.
Happily banded since May 2006. Regain of 28lbs 2013-14. ALL GONE!
But some has returned! Up to 175, argh! Off we go again,
Bette you are definitely a band success. I've seen you in person and you look amazing...so does your husband but that's another story 
No WLS is perfect and anyone who thinks that it's going to cure their head hunger is in for a RUDE awakening. Since my slip and unfill I've gained 20 pounds and I'm struggling not to gain more.
Whether someone loves or hates the band, nobody can deny that you've kicked ass and it's worked for you!
No WLS is perfect and anyone who thinks that it's going to cure their head hunger is in for a RUDE awakening. Since my slip and unfill I've gained 20 pounds and I'm struggling not to gain more.
Whether someone loves or hates the band, nobody can deny that you've kicked ass and it's worked for you!
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